Practices

Energy Poverty Handbook

Energy poverty is a serious concern in our societies while more and more people realize that it should be a social right. As a follow-up to the European Parliament Initiative Report on the antipoverty target in the light of increasing household costs, MEP Tamas Meszerics (Greens, Hungary) initiated the production of a Handbook on Energy Poverty.

The aim of this practical guide is to serve policy makers in their attempt to find new ways of tackling this complex issue. This handbook also addresses non-governmental actors, activists, journalists, business professionals, academics, students in social sciences and any concerned individual in need of the right tools to understand the issue and start taking action.

Housing Europe was invited to contribute to the Handbook with a focus on the financial aspect of energy poverty. The article by Edit Lakatos covers one of the chapters aiming to increase the understanding of the current financial support mechanisms at EU level to tackle energy poverty. The increasing number of people living in poor quality dwellings have urged the decision makers to make a step towards further investments. The opportunities range from the Structural and Investment Funds, through the Juncker Plan, to bank loans from CEB or National Promotion Banks.

The best practices showcase that investing in energy efficiency is a cost-effective way to combat energy poverty.